Bike Duluth Festival a first of its kind for the area

By
KBJR News 1

August 16, 2014Updated Aug 16, 2014 at 10:35 PM CDT

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- Welcome to the most extreme trail near Spirit Mountain.

We started at the top where bikers flew down a steep conduit of rocks and were greeted by their biggest fans. The bikers were then challenged by a chain of jumps that would leave any mom biting her nails.

Organizers say the Bike Duluth Festival is the first of its kind in Northern Minnesota.

"We are hearing from experts that people in the know for biking that this venue at Spirit Mountain the trails they have here are just awesome," said Jeff Lisakka, of Kraus-Anderson Construction.

Lisakka says the event's sponsors, along with COGG's, are the ones to thank for accelerating the success of this action–packed event.

"We pulled it together and we think it is something that is really going to grow into something larger in the future," said Lisakka.

"Definitely kind of high adrenaline, high risk," said Adam Sundberg, the event's organizer.

Sundberg says Duluth is becoming a mecca for biking trails, which is good for bikers and good for business.

"There are a lot of new people in the sport," said Sundberg, "even a lot of people who have been in the sport for a long time realizes a lot of fantastic trails are opening up, so everyone is excited about it."